Welcome,
You may not realise it yet but you have stumbled across a very different way to see Southern Africa, and I hope with all my heart that I get to help you plan your trip and show you what is possible.
I grew up in Southern Africa and have been going to the bush since I was four years old. We’d catch snakes and stargaze and I came to know this part of the world like the back of my hand. There is nowhere on earth like it, but it’s so much more than just ticking the Big Five off a bucket list.
As you travel around Southern Africa, I want you to not just see things but feel things with all your senses. I’ll take you off the beaten track and beyond the obvious for a fully rounded experience. The moment that moves you most or becomes your most indelible memory may surprise you.
You can travel with Safari Matters knowing the impact of your visit on local wildlife and communities will be a positive one. Bring your curiosity and an open heart and you won’t be disappointed.
Judith
our commitment
conservation
sustainability
Philanthropy
The Painted Dog Conservation, Zimbabwe
Conservation goals:
Their mission is to create an environment where painted dogs, also known as African Wild Dogs, can thrive. Their long-term model employs more than 60 people from the local villages to run conservation, education and outreach programs.
Why we love them:
Painted Dogs are intensely social, have strong family bonds, spend most of their time together, and take care of one another’s pups. If a painted dog becomes ill or injured, their pack-mates rally round to care for them. Watching them interact, play and hunt with extraordinary intelligence and communication is a delight.
Cheetah Conservation Botswana
Conservation goals:
CCB aims to preserve the nation’s cheetah population through scientific research, outreach with farmers, community development and conservation education, working with rural communities to promote coexistence with Botswana’s rich diversity of carnivore species.
Why we love them:
Because of their wide-ranging natures, animals like the cheetah and the African wild dog need large areas to survive. CCB works with a focus on empowering locals to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts and has been able to help thousands of Botswana live peacefully with carnivorous wildlife.
International Anti-Poaching Society, Zimbabwe
Conservation goals:
IAPF’s innovative approach to conservation calls for community buy-in rather than full-on armed assault against poachers. If a community understands the economic benefits of preserving animals, then it can eliminate poaching without an armed struggle.
Why we love them:
Akashinga, The Brave Ones, are Africa’s first armed, all-women anti-poaching unit. Where the IAPF operates, poaching is eliminated by over 80%, but Akashinga is more than animal conservation and protection. Many of the Akashinga women now have the ability to buy property, send their children to school, get a driver’s licence, enrol in college and provide for their families.
Giraffe Conservation Foundation
Namibia & throughout Africa
Conservation goals:
The GCF is the only organization in the world that concentrates solely on the conservation and management of giraffe in the wild. Their work focuses on increasing numbers, distribution and habitat, anti-poaching and conservation education to minimise the biggest threats to giraffes.
Why we love them:
Giraffes are one of the world’s most recognizable and beloved animals. Many of us have grown up with images of these long-necked giants walking across open savannahs, the sun hanging high in the sky as they browse on leaves from the tallest trees. But giraffes have been facing a silent extinction, and the GCF is determined to ensure that these majestic, towering treasures don’t disappear forever.
in the Journal
Read all about our adventures and start planning your next trip. Stay up to date with news and events affecting Southern Africa.
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